Confessions of a Serial (plant) Killer

I'm starting to feel better about killing house plants.  I used to have some pangs of guilt after purchasing a hapless violet or a thriving schefflera at Home Depot knowing that once it was in my posession, it was toast.  Some people, like my grandfather, are born with a green thumb but I unfortunately, was not. I've always known this about myself and yet I can't help getting sucked in every year by the spring hyacinths and the poinsettias at Christmas.  They're all doomed once they are placed in my shopping cart, of course.  I pretty sure I've heard them let out little cries for help as they're wheeled out into the parking lot.

My latest victims are two 4 inch pots of fresh basil.  I found them at the grocery store on an end cap in the produce section. With an eye toward pesto,  I carefully selected the two most promising plants; both were wrapped up in cellophane and looked incredibly healthy.  How hard could it be?  I thought to myself.  I believe I can keep them alive for at least a few months.  Well, perhaps a few weeks.  Is that too much to ask?

You must keep in mind that I live in Hawaii where everyone feels good about their green thumb because things grow outside without any effort at all.  I have literally thrown "dead" plants out into the back yard only to have them come back at me bigger, better, and with blooms in just a few short weeks.

Unfortunately, as you no doubt already gathered from the title of my post,"bigger, better, and with blooms" was not to be the fate of my basil.  Despite my attempt to water it regularly and put it in a cheery spot on my windowsill, it croaked within about a week and a half of living under my roof.

C'est la vie.

I said I was feeling better about killing house plants.  I suppose that's a sign that I am, indeed, a certified serial (plant) killer.  A run of the mill plant killer feels more remorse than this I think.  It's starting to get easy for me.  In fact, I'm planning another trip to Home Depot tomorrow.  I hear they've got gerber daisies in.